Ohana Week
by daffodil729
Summary: After taking care of a sick Gracie, Steve comes down with the flu.
1. Chapter 1

He was never late. You could set a clock by the man.

But on this Friday morning, Danny Williams was growing more and more anxious as he watched the minutes of the clock tick past. 8:00…8:20….

"Has anyone heard from Steve?" he questioned Kono and Chin as he stepped into the common area.

Both frowned. "He isn't here yet?" Kono asked, raising her eyes to his office.

"No. Strange, right?"

Both cousins agreed. Their boss was usually in the office much earlier than necessary, and was very rarely even just on time. Danny decided to give the man ten more minutes.

By 8:30, Steve still hadn't come in and Danny was nearly beside himself with worry. He made the call with a sense of dread in his stomach. Something was wrong, he was sure of it.

After a few rings, more than usual, a raspy, tired voice finally answered.

"'lo?" Steve croaked, wincing both at the sound of his voice and the pain speaking caused.

"Steve?" Danny asked in concern. "You okay? It's late, and we were worried."

For a minute, Steve contemplated lying and saying he was fine, just to be able to get off the phone and escape Danny's questions. But lying took thinking, and thinking, this morning, was beyond exhausting. The truth was easier and required much less effort.

"No. 'M sick. Meant to call in."

"Sick? Sick how? What's wrong?"

"I dunno. Everything. Everything hurts. Stomach. Head. I'm cold," he hesitated for just a second. "Think I picked up whatever Gracie had."

Well, crap. A sense of guilt washed over Danny. On Tuesday, Grace had gotten sick at school. Rachel was at a conference with Stan, and he had to be in court. There was no one else to call, and Danny had been beside himself. Steve, ever the superhero, had offered to pick her up and keep her until Rachel could get to his house. When Rachel arrived that night, Grace had been extremely well cared for. Even though she was having trouble keeping anything down, Steve had patiently and slowly made sure she stayed hydrated. Rachel walked in to see her little girl comfortably cradled in her uncle's arms as he sat in the recliner and they watched their fourth Disney movie of the day. Rachel had sung his praises to Danny all week, and Danny in turn had tried to express his thanks to Steve. He was grateful to have a friend like that. Grace's flu had passed quickly, and this morning she was back to her normal self.

Now, though, it seemed like his friend was the one in need.

"When did it start?"

"Felt a little off last night, but slept til 3. Threw up for the first time then." Steve sneezed, then sniffled miserably on the other end of the line.

"Man," Danny commiserated. "You've thrown up more than once?"

"Yeah."

"Make sure you're drinking, even if you don't feel like it. You got a fever?"

"I dunno,"

"What? You haven't taken your temperature? Why in the world wouldn't you check that?!"

Steve's patience was fading. Playing 20 questions was not what he wanted to do this morning.

"Thermometer is downstairs. Can't go get it right now."

Danny immediately felt even more guilty. _The guy was admitting to not even feeling well enough to walk down the stairs? This was bad._

"Okay. Tell me what I can do to help."

"Nothing," Steve mumbled. "Just wanna sleep. 'M fine."

"Like hell you are," Danny huffed. _Stoic superSEAL_. "This is my fault. I'll be there in a half hour, okay?"

"Nobody's fault, Danno." Steve sighed.

"Well, I'm still going to see you through this. It's no fun being alone when you're sick. See you soon."

Without giving Steve a chance to disagree, Danny hung up, then walked into the bull pen to let the others know what was going on with their boss. "He's sick," Danny explained, "with what sounds like the flu. Got it from Grace, probably."

"Ah, man," Chin responded. "That sucks, brah."

"Yeah. He sounds bad. I'm going to head over there and take him some stuff. It sounds like he hasn't made it downstairs yet, and he's been up since 3. Can y'all handle everything here for a while?"

"Absolutely," Kono replied. "You just go take care of the boss. We'll come by after work and bring dinner."

"Will do. See you then." Danny said, wondering what SEALs liked to eat when they're sick.


	2. Chapter 2

After stopping to pick up some things at the grocery store, Danny used his spare key to enter Steve's beachside home. He carried the bags in and dumped them on the kitchen table. He wasn't sure exactly what he'd be dealing with, or for how long, so he had bought everything he might need…and then some. Gatorade, water, Sprite, ginger ale, saltines, cough drops, NyQuil, cough syrup, stuff to make Nana's famous chicken soup. He'd even splurged and got several boxes of the tissues with lotion. After all, Steve had caught this because he'd been so good to Danny's little girl. He deserved it. Danny had also stopped by his apartment to pack a bag. He was a Williams. Nurturing was in his nature, and he was determined to see Steve through this.

He gathered a few things, including the thermometer from the cabinet, and went up the stairs quietly. When he got to Steve's door, he gently pushed it open. He didn't want to startle the SEAL, but he also didn't want to wake him if he was sleeping.

The room was cool and dark, the curtains drawn, and the blinds shut. Steve was curled up in the middle of the bed in an almost fetal position, shivering under a pile of blankets.

"Steve?" Danny whispered.

"Mmmm?" came a muffled response.

Danny walked to the bed, and his stomach gave a flip at the sight of his friend. "Aw, babe," he muttered.

Steve was pale and sweaty. His hair was sticking up in odd directions from constantly running his hands through it. The shivering was pitiful and causing his teeth to chatter from time to time.

"Danno?" he mumbled.

"Yeah, babe. I'm here."

"Don' feel so good."

"I know. I'm sorry. I brought some stuff to help you. Let's check that fever first though."

Using the ear thermometer, Danny checked Steve's temperature. Steve flinched at the soft beep it made as the screen turned red.

Danny whistled lowly. "Man. You don't play around, do you? It's 103.2. Let's try to get that fever down, huh?"

Stepping into the master bath, Danny quickly found a washcloth and wet it with cool water. He grabbed a bottle of Advil from the medicine cabinet and headed back to the bedroom.

"Here you go," Danny said as he handed Steve two Advil and a bottle of water. Steve nodded his thanks and took the pills with a tiny sip of water.

"You need to drink more than that," Danny admonished, frowning.

"Can't," Steve whispered, closing his eyes again. "Can't keep anything down."

"Okay," Danny said softly, wincing at the SEAL's honesty.

He gently wiped the sheen of sweat from Steve's face, then placed the cloth over his forehead. "We'll check your temp in another thirty minutes or so to make sure the Advil works. Sleep now."

Steve's eyes were closed as he mumbled, "Kay. Thanks, Danno." He was asleep before Danny left the room.

* * *

Danny sat on the couch downstairs and watched tv, making sure to keep the sound low. He glanced around the living room and, like he had a thousand times before, marveled over his partner's neatness. Steve's Naval training didn't go to waste, that's for sure. He was the only person Danny knew who kept a cleaning schedule. Bathrooms one day, bedrooms another, straightening every night before bed, washing sheets and towels on Saturday. He didn't like to get off schedule, and it bothered him to no end if something wasn't done. Danny was the opposite. Not that he lived in filth, exactly, but his apartment was no place for Steve to really visit unexpectedly. He'd have a stroke.

Danny was halfway through an episode of Chopped when he heard the unmistakable sound of retching coming from upstairs. Walking into the master bathroom, he found Steve slumped between the toilet and the counter, shivering, the light off. "Ah, babe," he said. He turned the light on.

"Turn it off," Steve groaned, putting his hands over his eyes.

Danny looked at Steve, his partner going from pale to green before his eyes. "Please go," Steve whispered. "I'm going to be sick again."

Danny stood still, rooted to the spot. He was a nurturer, a dad, used to the manifestations of physical illness. As Steve gagged and threw up what little was in his stomach, Danny moved closer and gently rubbed circles on his partner's back.

"What're you doing, Danno?" Steve muttered between rounds of sickness.

"Being supportive. Just let me, okay? You finished now?"

"Think so," Steve whispered, then he widened his eyes slightly. "Nope." He changed his mind and leaned over the toilet again.

Danny quietly wet a cloth and pressed it to Steve's head as he fell back against the wall. Steve sighed at the coolness against his clammy skin.

"Hate this," he whispered.

"I know," Danny agreed. "I'm sorry I got you into this mess. I feel really bad about it."

"'S okay. She needed to be taken care of. I was glad to do it."

"Still glad now?" Danny asked with a grin. His partner gave a weak chuckle in response, still slumped against the wall. "Ready to get up? You need to get back to bed."

"Yeah. Help me up?"

"You got it, partner."

* * *

The morning had taken a toll on Steve, and he was spent. He had to lean heavily on Danny to get back to the bed. He would have been embarrassed, but he was too miserable to care. Weak, nauseous, and congested, he exhaustedly climbed back in bed and pulled the covers up to his neck. He blearily looked at Danny. "You can go home. Or work. Or wherever. You don't need to stay here." He sneezed miserably into the covers.

"Oh, but I do. Ohana, remember? And I'm partially responsible for this, so I'm staying. Stop arguing and deal with it. Also, Chin and Kono will be here later with dinner and movies and weekend bags. It's like a sickie sleepover."

"Y'all are all going to end up sick. And let me tell you, this sucks. Bad." He shivered as a chill ran through him. He burrowed further down into the mound of covers and pulled them tightly around him.

"Eh. We'll wash our hands. We'll be fine."

"Sure thing, Danno. Do whatever you want." He rolled over and smushed his face in the pillow, sniffling as he did and wiping at his nose with a tissue.

Danny turned to leave, then grinned wickedly. "I know! You could wear a mask!"

"Sh'up, Danno. My house. You wear a mask."

"I'm just kidding. You get some rest. I'll be downstairs if you need me."


	3. Chapter 3

While Steve slept, Danny made a quick phone call to Dr. Ryan, who had diagnosed Steve with radiation poisoning earlier that year. She sounded surprised to be hearing from Danny, almost taken aback, as she asked, "Does Steve know you're calling me?"

Danny was confused by her reaction but went ahead with his reason for calling. After explaining Steve was sick with the flu, he could hear Dr. Ryan sigh heavily. She explained that because of Steve's weakened immune system, it would hit him harder than anyone else and would probably take him awhile to get over it. She suggested rest and fluids, and prescribed cough medicine and Phenergan for the nausea, which Danny would have soon thanks to a pharmacy that delivered. She asked Danny to keep her updated, even going as far as to give him her cell phone number for the weekend and watch the fever and for signs of pneumonia. Danny assured her he would and promised the doctor that Steve wouldn't be left alone.

Danny prayed they wouldn't need that number, then called Chin to update the team about their leader.

* * *

Steve woke slowly, taking stock of his whole body. He couldn't find a single part of him that didn't hurt. His head was pounding, his nose was stuffy, and his sinuses ached. His throat hurt. His chest was tight. The intense nausea from earlier in the day had lessened a bit, but there was still a general feeling of queasiness.

"Ugh," he groaned as he rolled over, still shivering. He glanced at his watch. Twelve fifteen. He'd been asleep for several hours, but still felt exhausted. He wished he could just get _warm_ for a few minutes. Maybe that would ease the aches in his muscles. He got up from the bed slowly, giving himself a minute for the dizziness to go away, and made his way to the bathroom. Maybe a shower would help.

About three minutes into the shower, Steve realized he'd made a mistake. A wave of heat passed over him, causing the nausea to increase tenfold. Quickly, he rinsed the soap from his body and opened the glass door, pressing the back of his hand to his mouth as he did. The cool air outside the shower helped to dial back the nausea a notch, enough for Steve to be able to dry himself off and dress in sweats and a t-shirt. He tried to take deep breaths, but his deep breathing caused a bout of coughing, which in turn led to him gagging and barely grabbing the wastebasket in time to heave over it.

Danny found him sitting on the floor, clutching the wastebasket, tears streaming down his face as he threw up repeatedly. As an added insult to injury, his nose had begun to drip blood as well as run. He was a mess. Danny grabbed the box of tissues from the bed and knelt beside him. He held a handful to Steve and he pressed them to his face, trying to clean up as the dry heaves eased.

"I don't have anything left to throw up," he whispered to Danny. "God, it hurts so bad." Danny moved to sit behind him, gingerly encouraging Steve to lean against his chest. He knew this would never normally happen, but Steve was too sick to care.

"I know," Danny said quietly. "You've got the raw end of this deal. The radiation poisoning is just going to make things worse, and the flu is bad enough by itself. The Phenergan didn't help at all?"

"I don't think it stayed down long enough to help," Steve admitted miserably. Danny wiped his partner's face with a cool cloth, not knowing what else to do and feeling completely helpless.

* * *

It was almost three o'clock when Danny couldn't stand it anymore. He gave up and called Dr. Ryan, admitting that this flu was kicking his partner's ass and he didn't know what else to do for him. Dr. Ryan seemed extremely concerned, worried, as she listened to Danny's description of how the day had gone. Hurriedly, she told him she would get a bag of things together and see him in fifteen minutes.

If Danny hadn't been so relieved, he would have noticed she didn't ask for Steve's address.

* * *

Steve ran his hand through his hair and pinched the bridge of his nose, wishing the congestion would leave for just a few minutes and he'd be able to get a little relief. Danny watched him, wondering when exactly he should come clean about calling Dr. Ryan. Seeing as how he only had a few minutes left before the doctor was supposed to arrive, he decided it was now or never. Leaning against the bedroom door frame, he started hesitantly.

"So. I may have done something you're not going to be happy with…."

Steve had been blowing his nose, but stopped mid-blow, with the tissue still on his nose when he heard the tone of Danny's voice.

"Go on," he said.

Danny decided it was just better to rip the band aid right off and began talking quickly. "Well, I called Dr. Ryan this morning to get those prescriptions, but you're still so sick, so I called her back again and she sounded worried and then she said she was going to get some stuff together and come over here."

"You did WHAT?!" The tissue was quickly discarded in the garbage, all attention on Danny now.

"I didn't know what else to do! I didn't know she was going to volunteer to come over! She didn't even ask for your address. Hey, why didn't she ask for your address?"

"Danny, why didn't you tell me before you did that?! You could have called my regular doctor! Or I could've gone to urgent care if you were that worried. But you called Callie! No, no, no, no." Steve hung his head and covered his face with his hands.

"I didn't know it was a big deal! Why is it a big deal who I called? And you would not have gone to urgent care. Don't lie," Danny said. He waited a second as something else dawned on him. "Wait, Callie? Callie as in smart, sexy Callie, the mystery lady that you've been seeing that we're supposed to meet next weekend?"

"Yup," Steve replied, hanging his head. "One and the same."


	4. Chapter 4

Danny opened the door to reveal a tiny brunette with a big, easy smile that made her eyes light up. "Hi, Danny? I'm Callie—Dr. Ryan? Have you talked to Steve?" She wrung her hands a tiny bit. "I didn't really expect to meet you this way."

Danny grinned, immediately liking this girl. "I did indeed talk to Steve. He was a bit, ah, surprised that I called you."

She laughed, and it may have been the cutest sound he'd ever heard. "I bet so!"

"Yeah…"

"Well, that may have something to do with the fact that I'm pretty sure he lied to me last night. He cancelled our date. He told me he was working late. I could tell he didn't sound right, and that he must not be feeling well, but he was determined not to admit it. SEALs, you know? Never admit when anything's wrong." She waved her hand and rolled her eyes.

If she hadn't already been scooped up by his partner, Danny would have been in love.

* * *

"So," Callie said, heading upstairs with her backpack, "any changes since we last talked?"

"Nope, not really," Danny replied. "Still nauseous, congested, coughing. Fever is staying around 103, even with Advil. The last time he got sick his nose started bleeding."

She gave a slight frown. "Not surprising. He has a lot of nosebleeds because of the radiation poisoning. Has he told you that?"

"He doesn't say much about it, unless he can't hide it. I've noticed that, and the vomiting and tiredness, but we don't talk about it."

"Sounds like him," she grinned. She paused at the bedroom door, a little embarrassed that Danny had realized she knew where she was going. "Hey, bud," she said softly. "How's it going?"

Two bleary, tired eyes blinked open. "Hey," Steve said hoarsely. "Fine."

"Oh, yeah, this looks like the definition of fine to me." She popped her hand on her hip sassily. "So this is why you cancelled on me last night?"

He had the good sense to look sheepish. "Yeah…I just didn't want you to see me like this." He paused. "Wow. That sounds really vain and stupid when I say it out loud."

She chuckled. "Yeah, it does, Commander. You're lucky you have such a good friend." She nodded in Danny's direction.

"I know. Danno's the best." Steve coughed weakly.

She looked at him sympathetically. "Let me look at you right quick, and then we'll get you fixed up, okay? Even if you are 'fine'."

"Sounds good," he mumbled, closing his eyes, completely trusting her. Danny watched, surprised. He knew how much it took his partner to trust someone. Obviously, this lady was very special.

"Hey, I'm going to step out and call Chin," Danny said, wanting to give them a little privacy. "Callie, you're staying, right? Chin and Kono are coming over. We're all staying here this weekend. Ohana, and all that, you know? This is just what we do when someone is sick or injured."

"Aww, that's sweet. Steve had mentioned that before, but it seems like he gets more visits than the rest of y'all. Something about not waiting for backup, I think?" She grinned. "I brought a prescription of Tamiflu for you guys, too. He can't have it because he doesn't react well, there's a note in his chart, but it should keep all of you from catching this nastiness from our sickly SEAL here."

Steve huffed, both out of embarrassment and concern about his team. "See? Told you to go."

"Babe, no. There's nowhere we'd rather be than here, germs or not," Danny said softly. "You know that."

"Of course. He's pretty cute when he's sick too," Callie teased, coaxing a tiny smile from Steve. "And a bit more manageable, although crankiness can be an issue sometimes from what I've heard at the office."

Danny grinned. "True that. Anyway, you're staying too, right?" He hoped he sounded encouraging. He wouldn't mind learning more about this young lady that seemed awfully close to being ohana already.

She looked at Steve questioningly, who gave a slight nod. "Okay. Sure. I'd love to stay the weekend with y'all. I always keep a bag in my car for the hospital….and I think I may have a few things here too." She blushed.

"Great! Chin's bringing dinner. What would you like? He's going to bring soup for Steve from his favorite deli, but the rest of us haven't decided what we're going to have. Ideas?"

"Ughhh, Danny," Steve groaned, shuddering. "Please, don't talk about it in here. I can't…" He swallowed hard.

"Crap, I'm sorry," Danny said. "Callie, hallway?"

Callie ducked out and spoke softly with Danny. "What would you think about subs or something like that? That way it wouldn't smell so much. I don't think he can handle smells right now, and I'd hate to make him more miserable than he already is."

"Great idea," Danny smiled at her thoughtfulness. She obviously cared a great deal about his partner. "I'll call Chin and let him know."

With that, Danny headed downstairs and Callie back to her very sick, but very adorable patient.

* * *

"How is he?" Danny asked as Callie came down.

"Still feeling awful, but sleeping. I gave him a shot of Phenergan, so that'll help with the nausea, and hopefully he'll be able to rest a bit. He has caught a heck of a bug though. I'm hoping there are no complications, but it makes me feel better knowing he has people here. If there's a problem, we'll catch it fast and fix it."

"Yeah. He didn't tell you how he caught this, did he?" Callie shook her head. Danny proceeded to explain all about the previous Tuesday. "He's a really, really good guy. The best friend I've ever had. Heck, he's more than a friend—more like a brother."

"You know," Callie smiled, "he said the very same thing about you."

* * *

At five o'clock, Chin called to say he and Kono were finished with work and would be on their way after they picked up food. Callie went upstairs to check on Steve. Still cocooned in blankets, he was snoring softly because of his stuffy nose. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she smoothed her hand across his forehead, not only to check his fever, but to offer a little bit of comfort as well. Even asleep, Steve turned his head into the touch, wanting more, and sighed softly. Smiling, she looked down at the man she'd fallen in love with so quickly and unexpectedly.

Years ago, she had been working as a medic when a SEAL team was brought into the sick bay after being stranded in the ocean for nearly ten hours. She was fascinated by these men as she watched her superior treat them. Special operators were just that—special. The care they received was the best of the best. All were diagnosed with mild hypothermia. Before being treated himself, the commanding officer made sure all his men were taken care of. She had heard about this man. Young as he was, he was already a decorated officer and his leadership skills were well respected by the higher ups. His reputation preceded him—hard, but fair, and a true team player regardless of his rank. He worked just as hard—harder, really—as any of the other men, and expected even more from himself than he did from them. As he and his team were treated with warm blankets and coffee, he sat on a gurney and talked with her. Though a little worse for wear at the time, he was easily the most gorgeous man she'd ever laid eyes on, and his manners were impeccable. His company was good and easy, and she enjoyed taking with him. She was disappointed when her shift ended that night. Before leaving, she told him goodbye and wished him well. He thanked her again for all that she'd done, his blue eyes sincere and honest. When she returned to the infirmary for her next shift, he was gone—he and his team had been sent on a mission. Though she thought of him often and referred to him as the one who got away, they never crossed paths again. As silly and cliché as it sounded, she'd never felt a connection like that before…or after.

They met by chance—again—at a doctor's office in Hawaii where she was working. She had left the Navy and had recently settled in Honolulu. She had looked up from the chart she was scanning when she opened the exam room door. The patient had been referred to her because of suspected radiation poisoning and had been a work-in. This man was special to the governor and strings had been pulled. She hadn't even had a chance to look at the name on the chart.

She opened the door, and a head with dark hair looked up to gaze at her with familiar blue eyes. _Commander Steve McGarrett._

Fate, she thought, had brought them back together and, by gosh, she wasn't going to let him slip away again. They chatted for a minute, catching up, and she proceeded with her exam, confirming what his primary physician had already determined. After blood draws, a little talk about what this could mean for his future, and symptoms, she surprised him by asking him out. He accepted, and the rest had been a bit of a fairytale. Dinners on the beach, boat rides, lazy days at his home…the last three months had been the most amazing of her life, and she couldn't believe how lucky she was.


	5. Chapter 5

The man before her stirred and opened his eyes. "Hi," he breathed groggily.

"Hi, there, Commander," she smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Mmm. Rough," he admitted. "Exhausted, even though I've slept all day."

"I know. It's to be expected at this point. Danny told me how you picked up this nasty virus."

A tiny smile played on Steve's lips. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

She gently kissed his feverish forehead. "You're a good man, Commander. I'm glad I found you again."

"Hmmm," he sighed sleepily. "Me too."

"Before you go back to sleep, you need to eat and drink something. You haven't had anything all day, and you're going to end up with an IV soon if you don't."

Steve made a face. "Don't wanna."

"I know, but you gotta," she mimicked his face. "Chin is bringing food soon. Do you want us to bring it up here for you, or do you want to try to go downstairs?"

Steve took a moment to register how he was feeling. The headache, muscle aches, congestion and cough were all still present and accounted for, but, thankfully, the nausea had abated for now. "Downstairs would be good. I've been in bed a long time. My back hurts."

"Okay. The couch it is, then. Let me get Danny. You're weak and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to catch you if you passed out."

* * *

After getting a very dizzy and weak Steve to the couch, Danny covered him with a blanket. Despite the sweatpants and hoodie he was wearing, he was shivering and complaining about being cold. He sniffled into a tissue as Callie checked his temperature. 102.5. Down slightly, but not nearly enough. She gave him acetaminophen and set a timer to dose him soon with ibuprofen. That fever was her biggest worry right now. He'd had it since last night and it was wearing his body out. The more worn he was, the less he'd be able to fight off the complications that could result from the flu.

Chin and Kono arrived a few minutes later, and Danny met them at the door to help carry in the food.

"You are not going to believe who's here," he said, nodding to the black Jeep in the driveway. "Callie."

"The girl Steve's been seeing?" Chin asked, a little surprised.

"Yep. And you're not going to believe who she is." Danny paused for dramatic effect. " _Dr. Ryan._ You know, the RP doc."

"Oh, wow," said Kono. "I've been wondering when we'd get the chance to meet her. The boss seems pretty smitten with her."

"Well, friends, today is the day!" Danny grinned. "And you're going to love her."

* * *

After introductions were made, the friends settled with plates of food in the living room. At Danny and Callie's coaxing, Steve managed to drink half a Gatorade and eat three spoonfuls of soup before he turned green and declared he was finished. Not wanting to push things, Callie took the soup bowl to the kitchen. She did insist that he continue to sip on the Gatorade. She sat down on the couch beside of him and put a pillow in her lap. Patting it and putting her arm around Steve, she guided him down until he was lying in her lap. She began to gently rub his head and face, paying special attention to his painful sinuses and the area behind his ears. He quickly became boneless and seemed to melt into the couch and pillows. His team had never seen him so relaxed, and it was soon apparent that he had fallen asleep, sniffling every now and then.

"So, Callie, you're going to have to fill in some blanks for us," Chin started. "Steve keeps most personal things very quiet, although I know you make him very happy. He hasn't shared much with us, but I know we were supposed to be meeting you next weekend."

"We're glad you're here now, though," Kono smiled, and gestured to her boss. "Obviously, he's very fond of you."

Callie smiled down at the sleeping man in her lap. "I'm very fond of him too. Steve is one of the best people I've ever met. I guess I'll start at the beginning." She paused. " We met on an aircraft carrier. SEALs aren't really 'stationed' anywhere but can be transported to the nearest carrier or ship if needed. He had a mission go awry because of a storm, and his team was brought to our sick bay for treatment." She explained how they met ("See!" Danny exclaimed. "He couldn't stay out of trouble even then!"), how they lost touch, and how they met again just a few months ago.

"So," Callie finished. "Call it fate or kismet or divine intervention…I don't know. I just know that I've never felt as whole as I do right now, and he's the reason for it."

"That may be one of the sweetest stories I've ever heard," Kono said wistfully.

Danny and Chin nodded in agreement. "We've all known something was going on. We could tell a difference in him over the last few months."

"I've been looking forward to meeting this ohana of yours for a while now. It sounds like a special group of people, and I hope you'll let me become a part of it as time goes on." She ducked her head a bit, suddenly feeling shy. She knew how important these people were to Steve.

"Of course! Look at you! You already are." Kono said warmly.

Callie smiled then, that same smile she had given Danny when she first arrived, and Danny knew what Kono said was true.

Her timer rang then for the ibuprofen then and she cut it off quickly, still watching Steve sleep, not stirring at all. "I'm kind of at a loss," she said, thinking aloud. "We need to get this fever down, but he's sleeping so well, and rest would be helpful too." She paused. "Hey, Danny? Would you mind grabbing that thermometer for me? Maybe I'll check him, and we'll make a decision from there."

"Sure thing," Danny responded, getting up to get the thermometer and returning quickly. Callie gently put it into Steve's ear. When it beeped, he flinched and stirred, but she quickly soothed him with a gentle caress across his forehead. She sighed. "102.8. Crap."

She rubbed through his hair. "Steve," she said softly. "You have to wake up. It's time for more medicine."

"Mmmph," Steve moaned.

"Hey," Callie said, shaking his shoulder a tiny bit. "You have to take some medicine."

"No," he mumbled. "'M sleepin'."

The group chuckled and smiled at one another.

"Tell you what. I'll slide the pills in your mouth and give you a sip of water. All you have to do is swallow. Deal?"

"'Kay," Steve said without opening his eyes.

Kono hopped up and headed to the kitchen. "I'll grab some water and see if I can find a straw."

* * *

Two Advil and an hour later, Steve was still dozing on the couch when the nausea returned with a vengeance. After squirming uncomfortably for a few minutes, he woke with a retch. Kono quickly grabbed the wastebasket that had been placed near the couch for this reason and held it for Steve, as Callie gingerly stroked his back and talked in a calm, soothing voice. "You're okay, it's okay Steve, it'll be over soon."

"That was gross," Steve mumbled, accepting tissues from Callie, voice nasally with congestion. "I'b sorry."

"Not your fault, boss," Kono assured him. "You're sick. It happens. We wouldn't be here if it bothered us or if we minded helping you."

Callie offered him the bottle of water and he took a sip, swished his mouth, and spit. "Ugh," he groaned, shuddering. "I feelb awfuld," he whined. "Hate thisd. Want it to be over."

Callie chuckled lightly. "I can tell. You're whining."

"And you're laughing ab me," Steve pouted, bleary eyes open wide. "Some doctor you are."

She hugged him tight. "I'm sorry. It's just a bit out of character for you."

"Well, being this sick is a little out of character for me too." He sneezed loudly.

Just then his phone rang, "Governor" popping up on the screen. He sighed exhaustedly and muttered "Damn it," before he swiped to answer the phone. He put it on speaker so he could lay the phone down. Holding it took too much energy.

"McGarrett," he croaked in a stuffy voice.

"Steve? I'm sorry to bother you on a Friday night, but it's important. I have a case for you. It's a double kidnapping. We believe it happened near Waikiki."

"Thas' dot our jurs'diction. Call HPD." He closed his eyes.

Chin and Danny exchanged a look with Callie and Kono.

"What? Are you still there?" the governor asked.

"Mmm," Steve murmured groggily.

"Steve, are you drunk? It's not even eight o'clock yet."

Steve snorted. "No, I'b not drunk. Wish I was. I'b sick."

She sighed. "I'm sorry. I really hate to ask you to work when you're sick—"

"—then don't," Steve interrupted, but the governor kept going.

"—but I really need you. I don't want to give it to HPD because these are friends of mine. They have two daughters. Both are missing. I gave them my word I'd put my best on it, and you and your task force are the best."

Steve looked at his team and rolled his eyes, then covered his face with his hands and shook his head.

"Governor," Danny stepped in. "Detective Williams here. I don't think you understand how sick Commander McGarrett is. He has the flu, can't keep anything down, has had a fever of 103 for almost 24 hours…. he's not well, ma'am. The rest of us will work the case, but, please, allow him to stay home."

Even though Steve hated hearing a discussion about how unwell he was, he was thankful Danny cared that much.

But the governor sighed, and they all knew what was coming. "I'm sorry, Detective, and I really do hate doing this, but I really need the commander on this."

What she meant was that she needed to be able to drop the commander's name to make it sound good to the press. Danny knew he wasn't gaining ground. "Fine. But he's in no shape to be in the office, much less the field. I'm not budging on that—no field work."

"That's fair. I'll let my people know 5-0 is on it. Thank you, Steve, team. I owe you one."

"Well, guys, let's go to work," Steve sighed, heaving himself off the couch.

Steve showered and dressed as quickly as possible—which was at the speed of a turtle—and had to lie down twice during the process. Callie watched him, taking note of his ragged breathing and flushed face.

"This is a terrible idea," Callie said as they came back down stairs.

"Dnot my idea," Steve replied, coughing. "I jus' want to go to bed," he said miserably, dropping to sit on the couch.

His team's stomachs twisted sympathetically at his admission.

"I'm sorry, brah," Chin said, patting his shoulder. "Maybe we'll get it finished quick."

"Yeah," Steve mumbled, leaning against Callie. He rubbed his faced with both hands, summoning the strength to stand. "Let's go."

Callie grabbed her medical backpack and Steve looked at her quizzically. "You don't think I'm letting you go by yourself, right? Danny, Chin, and Kono will be out in the field, and there will be no one to look after you. It's nonnegotiable, so don't even try."

He didn't even attempt to argue, much to the surprise of his team. Danny's gaze bounced between the two of them, then flashed a huge smile. "Where have you been all my life?"


	6. Chapter 6

"This is so stupid," Callie muttered, stealing a glance at the man in the passenger seat of her car. They had eased Steve into the car earlier, wearing a hoodie and sweats, shivering despite the warm Hawaiian climate. He was covered with a blanket, but Callie could still hear his teeth chattering as shivers ran through his body. He had fallen asleep before they got to the end of the road. "Just stupid. He's immunosuppressed. Does no one understand what that means? I'll be surprised if he's not in the hospital by the end of this. Does no one care? Or they just take advantage of his selfless, sacrificial nature? You know you guys are going to do all the work anyway. I mean, look at him! He's going to be no good to you. He's too sick to be. So, he's just supposed to be at HQ for appearance purposes? That's what this is for? For the governor to be able to say, 'Look at _my_ task force?' So. Incredibly. Stupid."

In the back seat, Danny realized that Callie could rant as well as he could.

"I know. But the governor didn't give any room for argument, you know? She was hell-bent on using his name as part of this investigation. I know she said they were friends of hers, but I bet they're big contributors to her campaign too. She's the most powerful person on this island, and Steve's honestly probably the second. If he said no, and these people got wind of it, it could affect his career. He spends a lot of time dealing with politics. So, sick or not, he knows he's saving himself trouble later on. He's had to do stuff like this in the past," Danny shrugged. "It sucks, but that's the way his job is. Glad it's not mine."

Callie sighed. "I know all that, but I just wonder what all of this is going to cost him in the long run. This RP stuff is real, Danny, and it's serious. He _has_ to take care of himself now."

"I know," Danny said. "I know. Let's help him through tonight and then let him get some rest."

They worked tirelessly through the night. Steve gave orders from HQ and ran the tech side of things while his team ran down leads and gathered evidence. Callie was amazed by his ability to push through the illness. He was the one who put two and two together and realized who had the girls and where they were being held. He popped Advil like candy. Callie kept a close eye on him, and although he wasn't any better at all, he didn't seem much worse either. He'd gone through an entire box of tissues by 2:30. At 6:30 the sisters were found, the suspect was in custody and had confessed, and the team headed back to HQ bringing the teenagers with them. At this point, Steve was dead on his feet and his temperature was pushing 104. Callie, concerned about dehydration and exhaustion, started an IV as Steve sat on the common room floor, head in hands, nearing collapse.

The team walked in then, fueled by adrenaline and success, and the girls were obviously relieved. Their boisterous celebration ended quickly when their eyes landed on their leader. Pale with charcoal smudges under his eyes, he looked like death warmed over. "Oh, babe," Danny said quietly, kneeling in front of him, while Chin and Kono hovered nearby.

Without opening his eyes, Steve whispered, "Girls okay, Danno?"

"Yeah, they're good, thanks to you." Danny rubbed Steve's arm.

"Okay," Steve whispered, nodding weakly.

"The governor and parents will be here in just a few minutes."

"Help me up?" Chin and Danny hauled Steve to his feet, hanging on to him until they were sure he was steady, or at least as steady as could be expected. He kept his eyes closed, leaning against the smart table and taking deep breaths until the dizziness receded to a tolerable level. He managed to open them just in time for the governor and parents to rush in, crying and gathering their girls in a group hug. The governor stood back and smiled proudly at the scene before her, then turned to her task force, not able to contain her shock as she saw Steve for the first time.

"Oh, Steve!" she exclaimed. "You look terrible!"

"Feel terrible too," he replied tiredly in a hoarse whisper. His voice was long gone.

The parents made their rounds, thanking each of the task members for their dedication and hard work before leaving the palace.

"Your team did an amazing job," she said to Steve, moving closer. Her eyes landed on his arm. "An IV?! How sick are you, Steve?!"

Callie had had enough. Steve could barely stand, let alone answer this barrage of questions. "He's extremely sick, Governor. I'm Dr. Ryan, the physician treating him for radiation poisoning which, I believe, he also contracted because of you. Detective Williams called me earlier today, concerned about the commander, and I was at his home treating him yesterday evening when your call came in. Both he and Detective Williams tried to explain to you the nature of this illness, but you would have none of it." The governor tried to respond, but Callie held up her hands. "No, I'm not finished yet. As a physician, my patient is my greatest concern, and I'm disappointed in the way the leader of our state has treated one of her most valuable and trustworthy officers. You knew Commander McGarrett wouldn't say no. You used his selfless nature as a weapon against himself. And he came through for you, but at what cost to him? He could have been over this flu by Monday, but now I'll be surprised if he's over it by the end of next week, _if_ he doesn't develop pneumonia, which I'm afraid by the way his lungs sound, is a very real possibility. I'm writing him out for the next week—"

"Whoa—" Steve started.

Callie turned on him. "Oh, no. You need _a week_ , a full week of rest to get over this. Mess with me, and I'll make it two."

Steve widened his eyes slightly. "Yes, ma'am."

"Now," Callie turned back to the governor. "He won't be in next week, and I would hope you would consider giving the rest of the team time off as well. They've been working themselves to death. Also, I'll need their assistance in making sure the commander here follows doctor's orders."

The governor stared at Dr. Ryan, amazed and intrigued by this 5-foot-tall spitfire who had left the commander of her elite task force speechless and without argument. "Dr. Ryan," she began as if she were going to admonish the doctor. "You are…absolutely right." She hung her head. "Steve, I'm so sorry. I didn't even hear what you and Detective Williams were saying. I just wanted my task force to be the ones to help this family. Although done for the right reasons, it was still a selfish act on my part. I apologize." Steve gave a quick nod. "Thank you all for your hard work, and I do believe Dr. Ryan is right. You all deserve—and need—this week off. With pay, of course. All cases will be deferred to HPD until the following Monday, and longer if Steve needs them to be. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a press conference to deliver the news of the recovered girls, and to brag on my task force. See you next week."

"What the heck was _that?_ " Steve asked as the door closed and the governor disappeared.

Callie shrugged. "I've watched you struggle through this all night. I guess I was just done. I'm sorry, but it really was a doctor/patient issue. Your health is my responsibility, and not one I take lightly. Just like you took an oath to serve and protect, I took an oath too. Now, as soon as that IV runs out, we're leaving. I have stuff to make breakfast at your house—good stuff, guys, none of that healthy crap he survives on." Callie grinned.

"When was the last time we had a week off?" Danny asked, in awe. Callie's rants were nearly as good as his, and obviously more productive. "I mean, I know we have to babysit, but still…" That earned him a glare from Steve, who was back on the floor, hoping he'd feel well enough to enjoy at least part of his week off.


	7. Chapter 7

The tired team made their way back to Steve's, where Callie cooked a delicious breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and sausage. Steve managed to eat half a banana and a piece of toast before he retreated upstairs.

Callie eased her way into the dark bedroom a little later. "Everyone is headed to bed for a while. Chin and Kono are in the guest rooms and Danny is on the couch."

"Mmm," Steve moaned with his eyes still closed. "Tell him not to turn the tv on. It's a stupid habit of his. He'll drive everybody crazy and Kono will kick his ass." Steve paused. "On second thought, don't tell him anything."

Callie laughed softly, and Steve took a deep breath. "You need to sleep too," he mumbled, almost back asleep himself.

"Yes," she said coyly. "But I also need to keep a check on the fever my favorite patient is running, and the symptoms he can't seem to get away from. And all the beds are filled. So, _I suppose_ I'll just have to share the bed with said patient. You know, that's probably the best way to keep a close eye on him."

"Favorite patient?" Steve said, a slight smile playing on his lips. "I thought doctors weren't supposed to have favorites."

"That's teachers. Doctors definitely can."

Steve sighed. "That's…good." He coughed wetly and burrowed further down into the comforter, trying to find the warmth he'd been missing since he'd gotten sick.

"Still cold?"

"Mmhm," he shivered. "Can't get warm."

"Let's try this, then. She snuggled under the covers and pressed her body against his, gently rubbing his aching muscles and feeling him relax beneath her fingers. "Better?"

"Mmhmmm."

"Good. Now sleep."

* * *

Steve slept until mid-afternoon, only waking because of a series of harsh coughs. He curled in on himself, almost in a fetal position, trying to ease the pain in his chest.

"Ohhh," he moaned. He slowly opened his eyes to Callie and Danny standing near his bed. Danny offered him a bottle of water, and he accepted gratefully.

"How are you feeling?" Callie questioned, putting her hand on his forehead.

"O…kay," he huffed as he unsuccessfully tried to fight off a sneeze. He turned to them with bleary, red eyes. "Ugh. I'm so tired of this."

"I know. Hey, somebody wanted to talk to you earlier," Danny pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Hey, Grace! Uncle Steve is awake now. You want to talk to him?"

Danny handed Steve the phone. "Hi, Uncle Steve!"

"Hey, Gracie," Steve said, and the adults in the room could hear the weariness in his voice.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Not yet," he replied honestly. "Danno says you're all better now though. I'm glad to hear that."

"Yeah, I am. I'm sorry I got you sick. You're the best uncle ever. You took really good care of me, that's probably why I got better so quick."

"Anytime, Gracie. And it's not your fault. This kind of stuff just happens."

"Alright, Grace, we're going to let you go now," Danny said as he realized Steve didn't have the energy to really keep up his side of the conversation.

"Okay, Danno. Take care of Uncle Steve. You should watch Moana with him; movies always make sick days better! It's a good movie, too. And be sure to give him lots to drink. And make Nana's chicken soup for him."

Danny chuckled, along with Callie. "Got it, Grace. I'll take good care of him."

"Good, Danno. Cause he's really special."

"You're right, Grace. He sure is."

* * *

The team spent the rest of Saturday lazing around the living room. Callie and Steve had assumed their positions from the previous night, Danny lounged in the recliner, Chin on the loveseat, and Kono had stretched out on the rug where she'd created something that resembled a nest of blankets and pillows.

"Man," Danny said, stretching as one movie ended. "When was the last time we spent a Saturday like this? And we've got the whole week!"

"We're going to be worthless come next Monday," Chin observed.

"And ten pounds heavier," Kono added, patting her stomach as she stood up. "Who wants popcorn?" She paused. "Is that okay, boss? Is the smell going to bother you?"

"No, I'm good right now," Steve said. He stretched and then settled comfortably back into his spot on Callie's lap. He waved a hand at Kono. "Go ahead."

"So what are we watching next?" Chin asked, flipping through the choices on Netflix.

"Well, Grace suggested Moana," Callie said jokingly.

"Gah, that kid and her Disney movies," Danny exclaimed. "At least there's a little humor in them for the adults though. They're getting better."

"We watched that twice on Tuesday," Steve mumbled into the pillow. "Still can't get those songs out of my head."

The group laughed. "What else did y'all watch?" Kono asked as she came back in with two huge bowls of popcorn and a bottle of Sprite for Steve. Normally he only drank water, but when he was sick he usually preferred something different. It amazed him that his team seemed to pick up on things like this without him ever saying anything.

"Um," Steve paused to think. "The Princess and the Frog and the one about Rapunzel? It's called something different."

"Ahhh, Tangled," Danny said knowingly.

"Yeah, that," Steve agreed. "Lots of princesses. And singing."

"You're a good man, Steve McGarrett," Chin said, still perusing the choices. "A very good man."

* * *

Around dinnertime, Lou Grover knocked on the front door of the McGarrett residence. Just returning from a trip from Chicago, he wanted to drop by to catch up on what he'd missed the past week. From the looks of McGarrett's driveway, the rest of the team was here too. Maybe a barbecue? He thought as he knocked again. Still not getting an answer, he tried the door and found it to be unlocked. Cautiously, he opened the door….and found his team (plus one more unknown but very attractive woman) all asleep and sprawled around the living room in various positions, popcorn scattered about, and Top Gun on the tv. "What in the world…" he mused aloud. He chuckled and shook his head as he snapped a few pictures for blackmail purposes—his friends, badass as they were, were not immune to open-mouthed drooling, it appeared.

Chin woke then, surprised to find Lou there, "Oh, hey, Lou. Didn't hear you come in."

"Yeah, no one did. What is going on here?"

"McGarrett's sick. We caught a case and the governor made him work it because of the family it involved. After it was closed, Callie," he nodded at the woman on the couch who was being used as a pillow for Steve, "let her have it. She's the doctor who has been treating Steve for radiation poisoning. Callie told her he needed at least a week off, and that she should give the rest of the team the same. And the governor did. I swear, I think she was intimidated by Dr. Ryan there. She's little, but a firecracker for sure. McGarrett even listens to her."

"Huh," Lou said in wonder. "I take it there's more than a doctor/patient relationship going on there?"

"Yeah, brah. That's the girl he's been seeing the last several months. She's great. You'll like her."

"Chin, if she can boss around McGarrett _and_ the governor, I already do."

Lou and Chin sat on the lanai shooting the breeze and drinking beer from Steve's fridge as they waited for the others to wake up from their naps. Lou filled Chin on his trip and Chin shared what he knew about Callie and Steve. Hearing movement in the house, they went back in to see that their team was waking.

"Lou!" Danny exclaimed. "Glad you to join us! Welcome to Ohana Week!"

"Welcome to what?" Kono asked, raising her eyebrows at the detective.

"Ohana Week. Like Senior Week, you know? When all the high school seniors go to the coast after graduation? Is that only a mainland thing? This is Ohana Week. Sharing a house, eating meals together, hanging out…"

The group stared at him. Steve was the first to speak. "You're an idiot."

"Ah, but I am _your_ idiot," Danny said as he made his way to the kitchen, punching Steve lightly on the shoulder as he passed the couch. "What's for dinner?"

"Nana's soup?" Steve said hopefully.

"Ooooh, yeah, Danny, make that," Kono encouraged. "It's so good!"

"Please?" Steve stared up at him with puppy dog eyes.

"Fine," Danny said, secretly pleased that his team enjoyed his cooking. He pointed a finger at Steve. "But if I make it, I expect you to eat it. And more than you ate last night. I know you don't feel well, but you have to eat."

Steve gave Danny a mock salute and turned over in an effort to return to sleep.

"Uh-uh, Commander," Callie said. "I need to move and stretch my legs for a while. Being a human pillow is a bit tiring." She stood up, dropping a kiss to his forehead as she settled the blanket back over him.

* * *

Callie perched on one of the tall chairs at the island in the kitchen, watching as Danny prepared the items he needed for the soup. Lou, Chin, and Kono sat at the table playing a card game. Danny glanced into the living room.

"Is he okay? He's sleeping an awful lot." Danny frowned.

Callie smiled at the partner's concern. "That's what his body needs, and, really, the sleep he has gotten today has been pretty fitful. He hasn't really rested well, you know? His fever is still high too—that alone takes a lot out of a person. Don't worry though, Danny—I'm watching him."


	8. Chapter 8

"Alright," Danny said, pulling Italian bread from the oven. "Dinner is served. Come and get it!"

Bowls were filled, and the group gathered in the living room again to eat.

"Danny, this is really good!" Callie exclaimed after a few bites. "Maybe the best soup I've ever had."

"I know, right?" Kono agreed. "It's what we all ask for if we're not feeling well…and the rest of the group gets to enjoy it too."

"It's your grandmother's recipe?" Callie asked.

"Yep, Nana Williams' famous chicken soup. Guaranteed to cure—or at least help—whatever ails you. Sickness, heartache, injury…it's all covered. As a bonus, it makes everybody else around you feel better about life too."

"I can see that," Lou said sincerely. "This is delicious. Speaking of your lovely nana, how is she?"

"Fine, I think," Danny replied. "I haven't talked to her in a couple of weeks. I need to call her soon."

"She's doing really well," Steve spoke up hoarsely from his spot on the couch. "She won at her bingo night last week. She took her winnings and bought a new sewing machine because hers broke and the guy at the shop said it would be cheaper to just buy a new one. She's a little upset about the quality of craftsmanship in America these days and says it should not be easier to throw something away than fix it. Her bridge club had a movie night and watched Magic Mike because someone had heard about it at their knitting group. She said it was enlightening."

Every pair of eyes in the room stared at him. Steve took another bite of soup. "What?" he asked them, as if what he just said was perfectly normal.

Danny spoke quietly. " _Steven_ ," he paused. "How do you know all this about my eighty-seven-year-old grandmother?"

He looked innocently back at Danny. "She calls me every Sunday afternoon, _Daniel_."

"Sweet Lord in Heaven, she doesn't have time to call any of her biological grandchildren on a regular basis, but she calls you every Sunday," Danny shook his head in disbelief.

"Like clockwork," Steve confirmed. "Sorry, I thought she called you and your brothers and sisters like that too." He looked confused.

"No. She doesn't."

"Oh." He shrugged.

The group was quiet for a minute, giving Danny a minute to process this new information. "What do you talk about?"

"Oh, whatever, really. She tells me about her week, the gossip from the beauty shop, who missed church that morning, what happened at her bridge club," Steve coughed. "She really has a lot going on."

Danny continued to stare. "I can't believe this."

"Callie was here a few weeks ago when she called. Nana talked to us on speaker while we cooked dinner. She was walking us through a recipe and ingredients she'd sent."

"She's a very sweet lady," Callie interjected.

Danny's eyes bounced between Steve and Callie. "I can't…When did this start?"

"The calls or the packages?"

"She sends packages too?!"

"Uh, yeah? Thought you were getting those too, or I would've shared."

"What's in the packages?"

"Cookies if she overnights the package, but I've asked her not to do that because it's so expensive. She doesn't listen though—told me she was eighty-seven years old and could do what she wanted to. Salt water taffy. Recipes and the stuff she uses to make them—she says some things can't be bought here, and it has to be a certain kind. Navy stuff she's found. All kinds of things."

"What the hell! How long has this been going on?"

"I don't know," Steve shrugged, taking another bite of soup. "Maybe a couple of years? I get a couple of packages a month. The phone calls, like I said, are every Sunday. Hey, tomorrow's Sunday. You can talk to her then. She usually calls around 3." Steve paused. "The soup's really good, Danno. Thank you."

"Don't 'Danno' me. You have hijacked my grandmother."

"In all honesty, she's the one who started it. Remember when she came for Christmas a few years ago? It was after that. She had a question about tattoos. It just kept going from there."

"A question about tattoos?" Danny said incredulously. Then it dawned on him. "STEVEN! DID MY GRANDMOTHER GET A TATTOO?"

"I can neither confirm nor deny."

* * *

After dinner, the group separated for a bit. Lou went home, promising he'd see them all tomorrow. Kono and Chin went swimming.

Danny called each of his siblings to see if they received weekly calls and packages from their grandmother. They didn't.

Callie and Steve continued to cuddle on the couch. "I'm glad I'm getting to spend this time with your ohana, even if it isn't under the best circumstances," she said as she ran her fingers through his hair. "Everyone's so nice. And Danny's soup was really good. I'm glad you were able to eat something."

"I just want it to stay down. I've been shot, tortured, near IEDs and bombs when they've gone off…I can handle pain, but I can't stand being sick. That's part of what makes this radiation poisoning so bad. The nausea is almost constant some days. Right now, I can't tell if I'm feeling so bad because of the RP or the flu."

"It's probably a combination," she answered him honestly. "That's what I told Danny when he first called me. The RP is going to make every illness worse and longer lasting. You should have told me about how bad the nausea's been though. We can take a look at your medications and see if we can find a better combination or dosage." She poked his chest. "You can't keep secrets about this."

"I know. I'd just rather ignore it."

Callie rolled her eyes. "Of course you would. Scale of one to ten, how bad is the nausea right now?"

"Seven," he replied after only hesitating for a few seconds.

"See? It's not that hard. I'll get you some Phenergan. You don't have to handle everything on your own, you know. You have a team and you have me. Let someone else carry the weight every now and then. It's not so bad to let someone care for you."


	9. Chapter 9

Chin came downstairs Sunday morning to find Callie standing in the dining room, holding a cup of steaming coffee between her hands and staring at the ocean through the bay window.

"Oh, good morning, Chin," she said quietly, smiling as she saw him. "Did you sleep well? Would you like some coffee?"

"I'd love some, but I'll get it. Thank you," he said kindly. "And, yes, I slept very well. I always do here. I think it's the waves."

Callie laughed lightly. "Danny says the exact opposite."

"Danny likes to complain." Chin smiled. "If it wasn't about the waves, it'd be about something else."

Callie smiled back at the man. She liked Chin. He seemed wise and steady. He had a calming presence Steve and Danny definitely needed.

"Hey, guys," Kono said, joining them. "Oooh, coffee." She grabbed a mug from the cabinet and poured herself a cup.

The doorbell rang just then and Chin opened it to find a very awake, very loud Lou. "Rise and shine, it's morning time!" he sang. "I brought breakfast!"

"What the hell is the matter with you?!" Danny hissed as he came down the stairs in a hurry, wanting to stop the noise.

"I'm just happy to be alive. It is a beautiful day on this beautiful island, and life is good." Lou looked Danny up and down as he frowned. "And what, pray tell, caused you to get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?"

"In case you forgot, we're off this week because someone is sick," Danny continued to hiss in a whisper. "And that sick someone is sleeping, thankfully, after a pretty bad night and I would rather he continue to do so for at least a few more hours. Gah. _Idiot._ "

"Well, aren't you just a ray of sunshine?" Lou strode into the kitchen, depositing several bags on the counter.

"Why are you here so early anyway?" Danny groused.

"Did I not tell you? The family decided to stay in Chicago til the weekend. I came back for work, but looks like I could've stayed too. And it's not early. It's after ten o'clock. You people are obviously on vacation."

"You could always go back," Danny said, glaring.

"And deprive you of my wonderful personality for another week? Not a chance," Lou grinned. "I've got malasadas, cocoa puffs, and those little ham and cheese croissants. Pick your poison. I got plenty."

"Thanks, Lou," Callie said. "This is a nice surprise."

"At least _someone_ appreciates my kindness," Lou replied pointedly, giving Callie a quick side hug while he directed a look at Danny.

"She's just being nice," Danny snarked. "I assure you, had you woken said patient, she would have _lost her mind_ on you and probably punched you in the face."

Callie raised her eyebrows but gave a slight nod after thinking about it.

"That bad, huh?" Kono asked, concerned.

"If you consider not being able to breathe, puking 'til he passed out, running a fever that never dropped below 103, and being near tears because he ached so bad and was so tired but couldn't rest, then, yeah, it was bad," Danny's tone was less harsh now and more sympathetic. "So please, please be quiet. I'm begging you."

"Absolutely," Lou nodded. "I'm sorry; I didn't realize he was feeling so bad."

"Yeah," Danny sighed, moving to get plates. "Yeah."

"Want to eat on the lanai?" Kono asked.

"Sure," Callie agreed. "It really is gorgeous. I can't imagine life without this view." She settled into one of the chairs with her food and juice.

"Well, maybe you won't have to," Kono said suggestively, bumping her knee. "I think things are going pretty well."

Callie blushed. She had meant the ocean in general, but Kono was searching for deeper information. "I think it's a bit early for all that. We're just enjoying our time right now."

"I've never heard a more politically correct answer in my life," Chin laughed.

"It's true!"

"I am not sure how McGarrett managed you, but you are a breath of fresh air, doll," Lou said. "Chin told me about you handing it to the governor."

Callie shrugged. "I have trouble keeping my mouth shut sometimes. Every now and then it works out."

The group laughed.

"So, Lou, you were the last added to the team?" Callie asked.

"Indeed I was," Lou said. He chucked and told Callie about the first time he met McGarrett, with the others jumping in at different times. "Man, I hated him. Couldn't stand that man. Did you know I actually filed a complaint against him with Governor Denning? Denning called us both in. Steve called me a son of a bitch right there in the governor's office." Lou chuckled again. "Of course, Denning tore it up because Steve was a favorite of his. But things improved. I lost my position with SWAT, and he showed up out of nowhere and offered me a position with 5-0. Can you believe that?"

"It's his cockiness," Danny interjected. "The hate thing. I think most people feel that way about him. First time we met, we pulled guns on each other and he took over my case. Ass." He laughed.

"You know why that is, right?" Callie asked. "The cockiness? You forget, I knew him first during his Naval career. He was young and already a decorated officer. Nobody questioned him. He led men on missions over and over again and was responsible for their lives. He's incredibly self-assured, and always has been from what I know of him. It comes off as cockiness, but it's really necessary arrogance. No one wants their commanding officer acting unsure of themselves." Callie shrugged. "And you won't talk to a single man under his command that will say anything negative about him."

"That makes sense," Chin said.

"Now, though," Lou continued with his story. "I couldn't imagine him as anything other than my brother. Steve has a way of showing up and being there right when you need him the most. It's an uncanny ability of his. He has done it for every single one of us."

Callie couldn't help but smile. He had done that same thing for her too.

* * *

"It's Ohana Week Day 2, people!" Danny said as everyone gathered in the living room after showering and dressing. He clapped his hands together once. "What's the plan for today?" He stopped and pointed a finger at Steve who had managed to shower and move from the bed to the couch. "You, obviously, are doing nothing more than that right there. Also, for a person who lives in Hawaii, how do you own so many different hoodies?"

"Cold-natured," he said hoarsely, sniffling into a tissue.

"Whatever. Anyway, your job is to do nothing. Rest. Eat. Drink. Manage to not throw up and not become delirious with fever."

"I'll do my best, Danno," Steve said, rolling his eyes.

"The rest of you. Plans?"

"I'm going to lay out on the beach," Callie said. "I think I might go paddleboarding, too."

"Oh that sounds fun. I'll do that too," Kono spoke up.

"Steve, how many boards do you have?" Chin asked.

Steve's eyes were closed but he held up three fingers.

"Lou, do you want to go? I can wait til later if you want to give it a try," Chin said.

Lou gave him a hard look. "Are you being serious right now, Chin Ho Kelly? This fella is not standing up on a board and paddling himself anywhere."

Chin laughed. "Okay. I'll go then. What are you going to do, Lou?"

"Well, I think I might take myself down to the grocery and get things for tonight's dinner. I'm going to grill. What's everyone's preference? Steak? Chicken? Shrimp? I don't really care for grilled fish myself, but we could do that if that's what you all want."

Steve groaned, putting a pillow over his face. "What is the deal with you people and food right now? Why do we have to talk about it all the time?"

"Why don't you just make an executive decision, Lou?" Kono suggested.

"I'll do it. Danny, you want to go with or are you going paddleboarding with these crazies?"

"I'm going to stay right here with my partner," he replied, patting Steve's leg.

"Danny, you don't need to do that. I'm not great company right now," Steve mumbled from underneath the pillow.

"Oh, but I disagree, superSEAL. If I overlook all the sniffling and coughing, you, sir, are fantastic company right now. You're fairly quiet, not nearly as argumentative as usual, and not getting into any trouble. I haven't been shot at or blown up. I think the Yankees game should be on soon or we could watch a movie. Or I could just continue to talk to you while you try to smother yourself over there."

"Whatever, Danno," Steve sighed.

* * *

A few hours later, the group walked in on a heated argument.

"This is why I hate watching tv with you," Steve was saying. "This is the dumbest way to find something to watch. There's a little button that says 'guide.' Press it. That's what normal people use to find the channel they want."

"I don't like using the guide, Steven," Danny replied. "I like to channel surf."

"There are hundreds of channels! That may have been a good option where there were, like, thirty or something, but not now."

"You just don't like it because you're not in control of my flipping."

"No, I don't like it because it's a waste of time and a stupid way to find what you want to watch! I don't want to be in control of your flipping, I want you to use the guide!"

"Well, you don't have the remote right now and even if you had the energy to try to take it from me, I'm pretty sure I could take you right now," Danny said smugly. "Deal with it."

Steve muttered something under his breath, huffed, and turned over to face the back of the couch.

"Oh that's mature," Danny rolled his eyes.

"Screw you. Let me know when you actually decide on a channel."

From across the room, Callie asked, "Are they always like this?"

"Yes," was the answer she received…in unison.

* * *

Just like Steve had said she would, Nana called that afternoon for their weekly chat. She'd joined a bowling league this week and was considering doing water aerobics at the Y. She wanted Steve's opinion on both. Danny asked her if she had a tattoo.

"I can neither confirm nor deny," was her response to him.

Her adopted grandchild burst into laughter that turned into horrible coughing.

Danny thought it served him right.

* * *

Lou cooked a delicious dinner of steak, shrimp, baked potatoes, salad, and rolls. Steve ate part of a baked potato before calling it quits and going to bed, exhausted from doing absolutely nothing.

The rest of the team sat in the living room for as long as they could stand Danny's channel flipping, drifting away one at a time to different areas of the house.

"McGarrett's right," Lou said as he left that night. "That's a stupid way to watch tv."


	10. Chapter 10

Before Callie left for work on Monday morning, she listened to a sleeping Steve's lungs. As she moved the stethoscope around, she frowned at Danny across the room. "I'm afraid pneumonia is setting in. That explains why his fever still won't come down." She smoothed her hand across his sweaty forehead. "I'd like to see an x-ray before I decide what antibiotics he needs. Would you mind bringing him to the office later? I could get x-rays and give him a breathing treatment."

"No problem," Danny said. "That's what I'm here for."

She nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Danny. Just let him sleep for now and call me when he wakes up. I can work him in anytime, but I want to make sure he doesn't have to wait when he gets here."

"This dating a doctor thing has some major perks," Danny joked.

* * *

Steve came downstairs a few hours later, looking and feeling worse than before. He dropped into a chair at the table where Danny, Chin, and Kono were already gathered. He crossed his arms on the table and laid his head on top of them.

"How are you feeling?" Chin asked hesitantly.

"Like I'm dying," Steve whined. "I've never felt this bad before. Not when I had malaria in Somalia, not after North Korea…never. Dying."

"You had malaria?" Danny asked.

"Yeah. Delayed extraction after a mission, ran out of preventative meds." He paused. "Damn mosquitoes."'

"Huh. Learn something new every day," Danny mused. "Dr. Callie thinks you may have developed pneumonia. Based on the wheezing and the fact I can hear your lungs crackling from here, I concur with her diagnosis."

The other three people looked at Danny as if he'd sprouted feathers. "Concur? Really, brah?" Kono said, eyebrows raised.

"It's that damn word of the day calendar Gracie gave him," Steve grumbled into his arms, where his head had fallen again. "If I ever make it back to the office, I'm throwing the thing out. Not that making it back seems likely at this point."

"Whiny _and_ dramatic? This is going to be a fun day," Danny teased. Without looking up, Steve flipped him off.

"Guess I should add grumpy to that list too."

* * *

After a chest x-ray, breathing treatment, and an IV of antibiotics and fluids, Callie released her patient back into Danny's care with instructions to make sure Steve spent the afternoon resting and drinking as much as possible.

Knowing Steve wasn't keen on the idea of food quite yet, Danny stopped by Kamekona's for shave ice for lunch. That counted as fluids, right?

"You tell the big kahuna I'll bring dinner for the ohana tonight," Kamekona said.

"You don't have to do that," Danny hedged, not wanting to hurt Kamekona's feelings but also knowing that his partner probably wouldn't be happy about the smell of garlic shrimp in his house.

"No, no, I insist. You just let me know how many I'm feeding and what they would like."

Time to try another tactic. "You know, big guy, Steve's been really sick and still isn't up to par. I'm not sure he'll be able to eat that tonight."

"No worries, brah. I got it all under control." The large man grinned. "I'll see you tonight."

"Sure." Danny knew when to admit defeat.

* * *

The partners stepped out of the car and walked slowly to the house. Opening the front door, Steve swayed on his feet and Danny caught hold of his elbow. "Uh-uh," he said as he opened the door. "No passing out."

"I'm not going to pass out," Steve fussed, unsuccessfully trying to jerk his arm away. "Let go of me."

"Nope. I'm tired of hauling your Navy SEAL ass off the floor this week. And it's only Monday."

"It's not like I meant to pass out, Danny," Steve grumbled. "You could have just left me there."

"Oh, I could have. But I'm a better friend than that. Who leaves their shivering, sick as a dog partner passed out in the floor?"

"Who complains about doing it later?" Steve muttered under his breath.

"You don't have any fat on you, but you, my friend, are heavy as hell. Now, bed or couch?"

"Couch. It's closer," Steve wheezed.

"Fine, but you have to sleep. Or at least rest."

"Fine."

* * *

In the dining room, the cousins and Jerry Ortega grinned as they listened to the bickering. After dosing Steve with Advil and orange juice, Danny joined them.

"Want some lunch, Danny?" Kono asked. "We ordered pizza."

"Sure." He grabbed a plate from the kitchen.

"Hey, Danny," Jerry greeted him. "How's it going?"

"Oh, it's going, that's for sure," Danny mused, taking a bite. "To hell in a handbasket, but it's going."

Kono rolled her eyes. "And you called Steve dramatic this morning?"

"Hush, Kono."

"So, from your phone call earlier, I understand he has pneumonia?"

"Yep. The man does nothing by halves. Callie did x-rays, then gave him a breathing treatment and IV and prescriptions for antibiotics and a couple different inhalers. It was a good time." He paused to take another bite. "To her credit, though, she knows how to handle him. It was a lot better than what it could have been. Still, he's being a grouch today."

"Danny," Chin admonished gently. "I think he has a right to be, don't you?"

Danny sighed. "I know he does. And he really hasn't been too bad, given how rotten he feels."

"I'm going to say hello," Jerry said, standing up and leaving the room.

"Hey," Danny whispered. "Did anybody tell him we were off this week? I completely forgot."

"No, brah," Chin chuckled. "He showed up to an empty Palace this morning. Thought we'd all been kidnapped…or abducted. Luckily he found us before he did anything crazy."

"Oops," Danny said.

Jerry returned from the living room, looking concerned. "He looks really bad."

"He feels really bad," Kono said sympathetically. "I'm going to go sit with him for a while."

* * *

Kono curled up on the end of the couch and pulled Steve's legs onto her lap.

"What're you doing?" Steve mumbled.

"Just being here," she rubbed his calf muscles. "When I'm sick, my legs hurt. Yours?"

"Yeah," he whispered.

"This okay?"

"Mmm. Helps."

"Is it okay if I watch tv?"

"Jus' don't give the remote to Danny."

Kono laughed. "I wouldn't think of it, Boss."

* * *

"Hey," Callie said as she popped into the living room after work. "How's my favorite patient?"

"About the same," Kono said, smiling from her spot on the couch. "He has slept a lot this afternoon."

Steve stirred a tiny bit on the couch.

"Hi, bud," Callie whispered. "Can I join this party?"

She slid in and adjusted him, so his head was on her lap. "What're you watching?"

"Say Yes to the Dress," Kono said, giggling. "Steve's just watching the inside of his eyelids though."

"'M 'wake," he mumbled.

"Yeah, sure, you are," Kono poked at him. "That's why you were snoring."

"'Kay. Sorry. Can't breathe through 'm 'ose. 'is sucks so bad," he sniffed, already asleep again.

Callie and Kono exchanged an amused look before turning back to the tv.

* * *

Jerry, Danny, and Chin came in from the lanai soon after Callie arrived. Jerry walked into the living room, then turned right around and walked back out of sight, pulling Danny and Chin with him. "Is that her?" he asked in a frantic whisper, eyes wide in full Jerry mode. "She's really pretty. And tiny. Like a doll or something."

"She is very attractive," Danny agreed. "And I would love for you to tell her she's tiny 'like a doll or something' to her face. She's tough, I've heard. Former Navy and all that."

"I should introduce myself," Jerry continued to whisper. "What should I say?"

"How about, 'Hi, I'm Jerry?'" Chin said, chuckling.

"That works," Jerry replied, eyes still wide. "My hands are sweaty."

* * *

Jerry walked into the living room for the second time trying desperately to exude an air of self-confidence. He went straight to Callie.

"Hello. I'm Jerry Ortega, Special Consultant to the Five-0 Task Force."

"Hi, Jerry Ortega, Special Consultant," Callie replied sweetly with a genuine smile. "I'm Callie. It's so nice to meet you."

"You are very pretty," he blurted out.

"Smooth, Jerry." Chin laughed.

* * *

The front door flew open a while later. "Aloha, ohana!" Kamekona burst into the room.

Steve nearly jumped out of his skin, then quickly settled down when Callie rubbed his shoulder and Kono squeezed his calf.

"Has no one ever told you not to do crap like that to a SEAL?" Kono asked. "Not smart, brah. Also, why are you bringing food into this house? Take that stuff to the lanai or back out on the porch. And don't walk through the house with it if you're going to the lanai. Walk around. Please."

"You got it, sistah," Kamekona said. "I didn't mean no harm." His attention landed on Callie. "Hi, there, little lady. You must be McGarrett's doctor lady friend."

Callie laughed and Kamekona grinned. "That laugh is something else. Like little bells or something. I think I'll call you Tinkah Bell. You special."

As they ate dinner that night, Callie looked around the table at these people, this _ohana_ she had so quickly become a part of. The talking and laughing went on late into the night, long after Steve had wearily trudged to bed. Even after he went upstairs, she didn't feel like she needed to. She felt like she was a part of this.

She belonged.


	11. Chapter 11

Steve woke up on Tuesday morning with the distinct feeling he had been caught in the movie Groundhog Day. For the fifth day in a row he woke up feeling the same way.

Except today he was frustrated. Frustrated he still felt bad, frustrated he didn't have his usual energy, frustrated he hadn't been able to be active in days. His whole life was centered around being active—he _needed_ to be active. It kept him focused, sharp, and ready. Even if Callie would have said running was okay (which she never would; he was still running a fever), he knew he wouldn't be able to make it to the end of the driveway.

His team—Danny, really—often talked about how he took risks, didn't take injuries seriously, or didn't take enough time to recover before returning to work. He had to admit that from the outside, that may look true. What they didn't understand, though, was that as a SEAL he had been trained to know himself. He knew how much sleep he had to have, knew his capabilities, and knew when he had to stop.

Realistically, he knew he was at that place now. He could acknowledge that, he could make himself stay down and recover. It didn't mean he had to like it though.

Callie had already gone to work, but promised to come home earlier today. He caught himself as he had that thought— _come home._ Did he think of this as her home? It shocked him to realize he'd made that slip subconsciously. Did he love her? He'd never said that to her. He enjoyed spending time with her. He liked her personality and wit. She was funny, smart, and attractive. She held her own with him—she didn't back down when she disagreed, and she had an opinion about everything. He liked the fact they had different backgrounds but still had the Navy in common.

He also knew he'd never felt this way about anyone before. He didn't consider himself the 'feelings' type of guy. He had trouble with feelings. He enjoyed romance and romantic gestures, but maybe that was because he approached those gestures as a mission. He had a plan, and he never had trouble following a plan. But feelings? They made him uncomfortable and antsy. It was always easier to keep people at arms length.

With Callie, though, things were different. He had always felt restless, but around her that feeling went away. He felt content, whole, _peaceful_.

Lying there, he realized he couldn't imagine his life without her. More than that, he didn't _want_ to imagine life without her. Ever.

 _Huh_ , he thought, almost amused. _I love her._

* * *

There was a knock on the bedroom door. Danny poked his head in. "Hey," he said quietly. "I was just checking on you. You good?"

"Yeah," Steve replied. "Just tired and aggravated. I'm ready to be better."

Danny nodded. "I get that. You're okay, though? Or as okay as you can be? I just wanted to make sure—it's almost noon."

"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you worry. I was just feeling sorry for myself and didn't want to be around anybody."

"Understandable. Just let me know if you need anything."

"No," Steve sighed. "I need to get up, shower, and get over myself."

Danny laughed. "Okay then. I'll see you downstairs and we'll find something to do. Do you feel like eating something more than soup for lunch?"

Steve considered it. "Yeah, I think so."

"What if I order sandwiches from the deli? That wouldn't be really heavy, but still more substantial than soup."

"That sounds…good." Steve was surprised that, for the first time since Thursday night, he didn't feel sick at the thought of food.

Danny chuckled at Steve's surprise. "Alright. I'll order, you shower. Let's get you back to normal."

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

Steve made it downstairs just as the food was being delivered.

"Hey, boss," Kono greeted him with a hug. "Are you feeling any better?"

"I'm trying," Steve answered with a slight smile.

Chin chuckled. "I'm pretty sure that means, 'No, but I want to', right, brah?"

Steve grinned. "Yeah, something like that."

The friends gathered around the dining room table as Danny passed out sandwiches, chips, and pasta salad. Kono grabbed bottles of water from the fridge.

"I wonder how HPD is doing with all the cases," Chin said as they sat down to eat.

"Duke said it wasn't too bad," Steve volunteered.

"When did you talk to Duke? You know you're not supposed to be working, right?" Danny said.

Steve rolled his eyes. "I wasn't working, _Mom_. Duke just called to check in yesterday. That's all."

"Make sure you keep it that way," Danny said seriously. "And," he pointed to Steve's plate, "eat."

"I'm trying," Steve muttered, picking at his turkey on wheat.

"Good. Keep it up."

"Hey, did you know Jerry told Callie she was pretty yesterday when he met her?" Kono asked, grinning.

"No," Steve laughed.

"He did. He also told her he'd shake her hand but his were sweaty. It was pretty hilarious, in an uncomfortable kind of way. Callie took it in stride though, and was really nice to him. I thin he has a crush on her."

"Ah, Jerry," Steve mused, shaking his head.

* * *

Steve fell asleep on the couch after lunch while they watched a movie. Danny was pleased with his progress so far, though. He had managed to eat almost half of his sandwich and a bite of pasta salad, drank the bottle of water, and had stayed upright longer than he had in days.

He woke up a few hours later to a living room full of people. Normally, it would have concerned him that he slept through the arrival of the friends—always being alert was one thing he prided himself on—but this was his ohana. He felt safe enough with them to sleep soundly and without worry. He stretched slowly, realizing that Callie and Kono were in the same places they were yesterday. The others were scattered around the room.

"Hi, sleeping beauty," Danny teased. "It's nice to see those baby blues of yours again."

Steve ignored him, continuing to stretch one part of his body at a time.

"You look like a cat, you know," Danny said.

Again, Steve ignored him with a wave of his hand, instead furrowing his brow at the tv. "What's this?"

"It's a documentary we found. Navy SEALs: The Untold Story. The first hour was about the history and how it got started, then they've gone to more modern day stuff," Danny explained. "We're to 9/11."

"Oh," was all Steve said.

"Is this okay?" Chin asked. Steve didn't talk about his service much, as most of it was classified, but Chin didn't want to do anything to make the commander uncomfortable.

"Yeah. It's fine."

"Where were you during 9/11?" Danny asked.

"You know I can't tell you that," Steve said quietly. He paused. "I _can_ tell you that I had seven hours to pack, make changes to my will, deal with my medical power of attorney, and take care of anything that would need attention while I was gone. Then I was on a plane. We weren't told where we were even going until several hours into the flight. "

"Wow."

"Yeah. Typically, SEALs are deployed for short periods of time. Most missions took less than a couple of weeks, some only took days, and then we'd be back. That time they told us to pack for the long haul."

They moved on to another documentary about Hell Week and training.

"Hell Week was really like that?" Kono asked.

Steve nodded. "Looks pretty accurate. Surf torture was rough. Lots of people quit then." He paused and gave a short laugh. "All of it was rough. We were cold and wet for a week, pretty much. Not enough sleep, not enough food. Most of the food was cold and we were able to sleep less than four hours all week. I've never been so tired or so cold….or so close to other men." He laughed. "We leaned on each other for warmth and rest. Those men are still some of my very best friends today. You can't go through something like that and not have a bond. Less than 30% make it through overall. My class started with 42 and 16 of us made it. I've never been more proud than when my commanding officer pinned that trident on my uniform."

"Wow. You graduated at the top of your BUD/S class, right?"

Steve nodded. He never bragged, and he certainly wouldn't have brought that up, but he also wasn't going to negate a fact.

They continued watching the documentary about the training, HALO jumps and missions. They were amazed.

"And the rounds you used in training were always live?"

"Yeah. The SEALs are the only ones who train with live rounds and real bombs. The idea is that you're going to be better prepared. You know it isn't fake; you know you could very well die during training if you aren't focused on your mission. It works. The only things that weren't real were buddy drags."

"What?" Kono asked.

Steve's eyes flashed and clouded. "Buddy drags. Your commanding officer would yell that there was a man down, and you'd have to drag that person to cover. Those were tough, both to do and be a part of, because you knew it would very well be the case one day."

"Bruddah, let me get this straight," Kamekona said. "You can do all that stuff?"

"Everything you're seeing, I've done."

"Huh," Lou said, nodding.

The group was amazed as they watched the rest of the documentary. They had a new admiration of and respect for their boss as they left the living room that night.


	12. Chapter 12

Wednesday was a better day for Steve. Though still coughing, stuffy, and feverish, he didn't feel as close to death's door as he had before.

He actually made it downstairs, on his own, before noon. Someone had been to get malasadas. He grabbed one and some juice and stepped out onto the lanai where Kono, Danny, and Chin already were.

"Look at you! Coming back to the land of the living?" Danny asked.

"I'm getting there." He curled up in one of the chairs. "I don't feel quite as bad today."

Kono snorted. "That's not saying a lot, brah.

Steve gave a short laugh. "I know. I don't think I'm going to die right now though, so that's an improvement. At this point, I'll take what I can get."

The group laughed. They sat on the lanai and talked until the day began to get hot, then headed inside.

* * *

"Now that you're coherent and it's just the four of us, let's talk about Callie," Danny said as the group sat down.

"Yes, let's," Kono agreed, grinning and curling up on the couch beside Steve.

"Are you in love with her?" Danny asked, not mincing words at all.

"Yeah, I am."

He was greeted with stunned silence. They had expected to have to make him see his feelings, but instead there was just an immediate confirmation.

"What?" Danny said, frowning.

"You don't approve?" Steve questioned, frowning right back.

"No. I mean, yes. Yes, I approve. She's fantastic, she obviously loves you, and she keeps you in line. This relationship is going to make my life a lot easier. I'm just surprised you are acknowledging and admitting it."

"I've given it a lot of thought." Steve shrugged. "It's…different with her. I don't know how to describe it, exactly. I just kind of…know."

Chin smiled. "You haven't told her yet?"

Steve shook his head. "This week hasn't been the best for romantic proclamations, you know?"

"True. But we've all certainly seen how much she cares about you this week."

Danny and Kono nodded.

"We're really happy for you," Kono said. "I think this is the beginning of something wonderful."

* * *

"What the hell are you doing?" Danny demanded as he walked into the kitchen that afternoon.

Steve was clutching the counter, eyes closed tight. "Dizzy," he muttered.

"I can see that. I meant, what the hell are you doing to make yourself so dizzy that you've lost all the color you had finally managed to regain?"

The entire group was back at the house by this point. They looked at each other and perked up to hear this exchange between the partners.

"Dishwasher."

"Why are you even loading the dishwasher? There are other people here who are in much better shape than you who could do that!"

Steve's eyes were still closed.

"Did you hear me?" Danny asked. " _Why_ are you loading the dishwasher?"

"There were dishes in the sink," he said.

" _So?_ "

"I don't like dishes being in the sink. You know that."

"I know that you are a crazy person with neurotic tendencies. Go sit down before you pass out. And forget about the stupid dishes, I'll get them in a minute."

"Why not just get them now? Why wait? If you do it now, it'll be over with….and there won't be dishes in the sink."

"Why does it matter if there are dishes in the sink?"

"Because it just does. I don't like it. I'd rather them be in the dishwasher."

"You're being ridiculous."

"No, I'm not being ridiculous. It's called being clean, Danny."

In the other room, the group looked at each other. Lou shrugged. "He must be feeling better. It's the first time he's noticed Danny's dishes, and they've been in the sink all week."

"When he sees what Danny's bedroom—well, the guest room he's been using—looks like, he's going to freak out."

"I don't want to be around for that," Chin said.

Kono shuddered.

* * *

When they heard their leader yell at almost his normal voice level the next day, they knew exactly what had happened.

"DANIEL! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"

"It's a pile system!"

They smiled. Things were almost back to normal.


	13. Chapter 13

Steve's fever finally broke on Thursday, and with it, his ability to stay still. When Callie got there after work, she caught him heading out to the lanai wearing board shorts and carrying a towel.

"Where do you think you're going?" her voice stopped him in his tracks, and the others could see him physically cringe.

"Um. For a swim?" he hesitated. "A really short swim? Close to the shore?" He kept watching her face to see when he got closer to the right answer. "Not even really a swim. A….dip?"

"I'm glad you're feeling better, but are you sure you're up to this? You've been really sick, Steve. It's going to take you a while to get your strength back."

"I know," he said carefully. "That's why I didn't try to go for a run." He wasn't sure if she was going to appreciate the good sense he had shown, or if she was going to fuss because he had, in fact, considered going for a run.

Callie grinned. "Alright, Commander. I'm going to trust that you're telling me the truth—and will continue to tell the truth—about how you feel."

He nodded solemnly.

"I'm going to go change right quick," she grinned at him again, and rose up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

He headed down to the edge of the water with the others, then turned to watch Callie come out of the house. She smiled and gave a little wave, and he couldn't help but grin.

How had he gotten so lucky?

* * *

Danny's Ohana Week soon came to a close. The week had been a successful break, Danny thought. The team was relaxed, healthy, and ready to get back to work. They'd grown closer; as a team, as a unit.

As ohana.


End file.
